Metatarsal-arch-supporting pad or cushion



'l n I 1,675,578

W. M. SCHOLL METATARSAL A RcH SUPPORTING PAD 0R cUsaioN Filed' Dec. 1. 192.(

l'Il'.lll/111111111111111l/llll//llll/1111111lllllllllIIIllll/lllll/11111/111111 v4Patented July 3, 1928.

` fois-irre WILLIAM M, SCIolLIi, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

i y METATARSALAnon-sorronrrne PAD on. crisi-Iron.

Application filed December One ofthe objects of the inventionv is t0 provide improved means to be placed in a shoe and` located under the foot of the wearer, serving as an insole of the shoe and acting `as means for preventing movement of an arch support attached thereto and carried thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible insole, such for example as leather, for carrying the pads or cushions to raise and support a defective metatarsal arch, and flexible means for preventing the insole from wrinklingor creeping.

Another object is the provision of an improved means for holding and retaining an arch support properly in a shoe.

Other objects, advantages and benefits of the invention will readily appear to persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description when .taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a bottom plan view of the de vice showing the cover turned back and showing a strip of thin steel embedded in the solepart, to prevent it from being -.for1ned. into short undulations, crimps or wrinkles; y

Figure 2 is a longitudinal central section taken on line 2-2 of Figure l showing the device right side up.

Figure 3 isa section taken on line 3-3 of Figure l, as when the latter is in place in a shoe.

Figure l is a transverse section taken on line /i-st of Figure l.

In all of the views, the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

5 is an insole made to fit inside the shoe and composed preferably of leather. It is laterally expanded at its front end and is skived across the front edge at 6 to make the end tapered to prevent an abrupt shoulder within the shoe. The front end of the insole 5 is cupped at 7 within which cup is received a pad or cushion 8. The pad or cushion 8 is ovate in outline and tapers upwardly and forms the means forA supporting the metatarsal arch of the foot. The

pad 8 may preferably be made of felt orsoft rubber, or the like, and after it has been secured to the front end of the insole, the bot- 1, i924. sel-iai no. 753,328.

tom of the insole 'is ycovered by a covering 9 which may be of" leather, chamois, buck skin, or the like.

lVhen an insole, such as described, is placed in the shoe, and especially when the front end of it is elevated, there is a tendency for it to form into creases or to wrinkle thereby producing a disagreeable effect upon the foot.

To prevent this, I preferably split the edge of the insole from end to end on one side, as at l0, and separate the split parts and then insert a relatively thin steel strip '11. After the thin steel strip l1 has been inserted between the split parts of the insole, the parts are glued together' as shown at l2 in Figure Il. Vhen the strip of steel is in place, t-he insole 5 cannot wrinkle or become corrugated because of the resiliency of the steel strip which tends always to straighten the insole, and when the insole is cut to fit theshoe, the arch support 8 will remain constantly in the position in which `it has been vplaced for the purposes mentioned.

The bottom surface of the insole carrying the cushion 9 is overlaid 'with a cover 13 which may be stitched around the edge through the insole and cover, as at 14;. The cover is shown turned back in Figure l in order to expose the 'underlying parts.

The arch supporting pad 8 is parti-oval in cross section on line 3-3 as shown in Figure 3, and from this line rearwardly the. pad tapers less abruptly, as shown in Figure 2. The pad 8 is shown as a support for the first, second and third metatarsals of the right foot. It may be shifted in position, however, to suit the occasion.

Vhile there is herein shown a single em` bodiment of my invention for the purpose of clear disclosure, it will be manifest that changes may be made in the configuration and distribution of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

l-laving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A foot support in the nature of an insole for shoes, consisting of a body layer of material having a pocket formed in `its under surface adjacent to one end and otherwise ynormally flat throughout, said body layer having a lengthwise slit in one edge terminating short of both ends thereof, a pad in said pocket, a pocket-closing layer of material attached to the lower surface of said body layer, and a thin flat resilient reenforeing strip disposed in said slit and in uuiil'orm Contact throughout its length with the portions oi the body strip above and below its slit.

2. A foot support in the nature of an insole for shoes, consist-ing of a body layerof material having a pocket formed in its under surface adjacent to one end and other` wise normally liat throughout, said 1body layer having a lengthwise slit in one edge VILLIAM M. SCHOLL. 

